Chapter 31
L ucy unlocked the steel door to the restricted relics section at the back of the library. The loud creak as she pulled it open made her cringe. Hopefully the security guard wandering around the various floors of the university would be too far away to notice the disturbance.
“Let’s get this over with,” Benedict said at her back.
Lucy nodded, closing the door behind them before he changed his mind. She understood his hesitation; he’d be blamed if they were caught. No one would suspect she was the mastermind behind a plot to steal from an Order member and break into the university during one of the most important events of the year.
They searched glass case after case until they found the Dragon bestiary. A vial of chalk-like dust was suspended above the open book illustrating the vicious slaying of the winged beast. Lucinda didn’t hesitate to use Emerson’s key to unlock the case. She reached for the vial, but Benedict’s hand clamped around her wrist.
“We’ll have to break the wax seal,” he whispered, looking at the red wax sealing the powdered venom within the vial. “When they do their routine checks, there’s no way they won’t notice a seal that’s been tampered with, and that key will lead them back to Emerson. All keys are charmed to reveal their owner, remember?”
“Not if I can reseal it with your fire,” Lucy said confidently.
“Too much heat and you could smash it altogether.”
“I’ll just melt the wax seal.” She reached for the suspended vial and disconnected it from the glass hook.
“Are you sure you can maintain control?”
“I can only try.” Lucy used the side of the key to break the wax seal, going past the point of return. “We need something to hold the powdered venom.”
“I have this,” Benedict said, removing a small pill box in his pocket. She looked at the small box, wondering if it closed tight enough to keep the fine powder safe, but they didn’t have a choice.
“It’ll have to do,” she said, tipping out the gum it contained into his hand. He popped them in his pocket.
Uncorking the vial, she tapped out about half a teaspoon’s worth. The venom in powdered form would be concentrated, and she didn’t want to kill them by accident. She needed just enough to strip their element, and then the reset of the potion should restore it. Death by dragon venom in Foxford in the twenty-first century would certainly raise a few eyebrows.
“Pumpkin, hurry up!”
Lucy nearly dropped the vial at his sudden urging. She wanted to snap back at him, but they needed to keep quiet.
“I’m going as fast as I can,” she hissed, corking it again and handing Benedict the pill box. He popped it in his jacket pocket as she summoned his element.
“Careful,” he breathed, so close she could barely concentrate on the melting wax. Her skin blazed, but she managed to contain the flow of heat as she resealed the vial. “That’s enough. Any more and the vial will warp,” Benedict instructed, his voice gentle and cautious rather than commanding.
Lucy admired her work. The red wax was a little too shiny for an old relic, but it would dull once it cooled. Benedict hissed as she handed him the heated vial; it was petty, but he deserved it for spooking her.
“Why do you have to call me pumpkin just to annoy me?” she asked, locking the case once he’d put it back in its rightful place.
“I never intended to annoy you. It’s just my favourite. The food that makes me feel like I’m home,” he admitted, like it wasn’t supposed to turn her into a puddle of mush.
She swallowed, unsure of what to say, of what it meant. Was he messing with her? But the way his eyes narrowed, waiting for her to respond, forced her to acknowledge the confession as true.
His thumb brushed over her wrist, causing her to shiver in his grasp. Her lips parted and he tilted his head, leaning in with a silent question in his eyes.
“We should get out of here,” she said, as their lips brushed. He nodded, following close behind her. With the door secured, a floorboard creaked as they reached the main door to the university library. He pulled her back towards the shelves, and she gasped.
“Shhh,” Benedict whispered, pressing a finger to his lips.
“Don’t shush me,” she snapped.
“The security guard is at the door.” He pointed to the shadow under the door at the end of the room.
“What if they come in?” Lucy mouthed. Even with the door to the relic section secured, they’d be in trouble for entering the library after dark. And if the guard checked the restricted relics section, he might see that the wax seal hadn’t fully solidified.
“Can I kiss you?” Benedict asked, pulling her away from the restricted section into the stacks.
“Now is not the time!” she protested, but did nothing to stop him. Her breath caught as his fingertips brushed the sensitive skin at the nape of her neck.
“We have to distract the guard,” he breathed, brushing the hair from her shoulder. He brought his lips daringly close to her neck but refused to make contact. Her heartbeat quickened, and she clutched his jacket.
“Yes,” she sighed, tipping her head to the side as his hand slipped into her hair.
Benedict backed her up against a bookshelf, their breath mingling as his lips teased her without quite kissing her.
The door opened, and footsteps marched in.
“You two! What do you think you are doing in here at this hour?” Arthur, the security guard, blinded them with his torch. Benedict shielded his eyes.
“Sorry, Arthur, we just wanted to look at the binding cup we’d be drinking from during our ceremony,” he lied as easily as breathing. “Got a bit carried away…”
“Mr Matherson? Is that Lucinda with you?” Arthur’s frown was barely visible in the dark, but his gruff voice made it clear he wasn’t happy with them.
“Guilty,” she said, hiding her shame in Benedict’s chest.
“You’ll see it soon enough.” Arthur sighed, lowering the torch. “Congratulations, by the way.”
“Thank you. Sorry about the intrusion.” Benedict took Lucy’s hand, and she tried not to break his fingers.
“I was young once, but rules are rules. No one’s to be in the library after dark.”
“We’re very sorry,” Lucy said meekly. “We really just wanted to stand before the cup, to get a sense of what it would be like on the day.”
“All right then. Enjoy the rest of your night,” Arthur said, letting them go with a grin he couldn’t quite hide.
Outside, the fresh air settled Lucy’s nerves. She cursed herself for putting them both at risk, again, but a triumphant grin spread across Benedict’s face.
“Piece of cake,” he said, patting his breast pocket.
“Let’s never do that again,” she breathed.
“Kissing?” he asked with a frown.
“Breaking and entering,” she said, swatting his arm playfully to hide her embarrassment.
“Let’s hope that venom was worth the risk,” was all he said as they walked through the archway and back to the festivities. Lucy eyed his breast pocket, where the venom rested, and hoped she wasn’t about to add fuel to the fire with another Hawthorne scheme.